Criminal justice news and commentary roundup: through 3/11/22
Media
Watch Olayemi Olurin’s speech at a rally to demand that people be released from Rikers jail, where most people are held pending trial (too poor to pay bail), and where over a dozen people have died in brutal conditions over the past year. Read more about the action here.
PBS released a new film, Apart, telling the stories of three formerly incarcerated mothers and the impact of their punishment on their children, families, and communities. Here’s an interview with filmmaker Jennifer Redfearn. I am horrified by the ease with which people in the U.S. accept the separation of parents and children. See also this essay from the perspective of a young person whose parents were imprisoned, and this backgrounder with chilling statistics on the immense harm that this causes to children.
Misc
In a major victory for Los Angeles organizers working to institutionalize and build on their wins, the L.A. County Board approved a motion to create the Justice, Care and Opportunities Department, which will become a centralized home for various programs created in the last few years in support of the county’s Care First, Jails Last initiative. Read the press release from Justice LA, the powerhouse team behind the passage of this motion.
Our colleague Carlton Miller wrote about his efforts to secure his brother’s release from prison, after his brother was convicted by a non-unanimous jury and sentenced to life in prison. His brother recently came home after 24 years inside.
Indianapolis is requesting bids to construct a seven-acre affordable housing complex specifically open to people with convictions and their families, who are routinely rejected by landlords.
The Just Trust announced its first round of grants: $36 million going to 25 organizations doing advocacy and journalism work at the state and national level. They also issued an invitation to organizations doing advocacy, narrative, and basebuilding work in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma to apply for funding.
In an egregious case of “pay to play,” a study found that Houston judges award case appointments to attorneys who donate to their campaigns at double the rate of non-donor attorneys.
Two Oklahoma jail officials were caught on tape calling the COVID-19 pandemic “the greatest thing that has ever happened to us” and “a built-in excuse” to keep media and other visitors out of their troubled jail. “We’ve gotten so much money out of there, and we’ve only had three people die,” said one of them. Kudos to the paper for their in-depth reporting here.
The Intercept took an in-depth look at efforts by the REFORM Alliance to change probation laws in Pennsylvania.
New York
NY State is reserving the first 100 marijuana dispensary licenses for people with marijuana convictions or their families. The law has other social equity provisions built in as well.
State officials are refusing to follow the “Less is More” Act, a NY law that prohibits sending someone to prison for certain technical (aka non-criminal) parole and probation violations), in certain cases. Many are sitting in jail after being arrested on a technical violation, who haven’t committed a new crime, yet could be heading back to prison anyways.
Six New York State prisons are closing this week! What a relief. Unfortunately, rather than celebrating, some are framing this a problematic, economic hit to communities that profited off of those prisons. While workers in these impacted communities deserve a just transition, I find the comments by corrections officials in this article to be grotesque.
Elections
Texas District Attorney primaries happened. Updates:
Bexar (San Antonio) - DA Joe Gonzales went unopposed and faces LaHood in the general.
Dallas - DA John Creuzot defeated his primary opponent, who challenged him from the right, 58% to 42%, a bit close for comfort. In November, DA Creuzot will face the GOP former incumbent he beat in 2018, Faith Johnson.
Fort Bend - DA Brian Middleton will win four more years as a reform prosecutor in one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the country (southwest Houston).
Tarrant (Fort Worth) - This was a tough race in a county that’s still building organizing infrastructure. Unfortunately, Albert Roberts lost despite broad support from national and local partners, including United Fort Worth.
A Memphis judge has ordered a new trial for Pamela Moses, who was famously prosecuted and sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to register to vote as a person with a criminal record, even though she had reason to believe she was eligible. Amy Weirich, whose office prosecuted this case, is up for election this year. I’m happy to share advice on contributions!
Greg Casar handily won his Congressional primary in Austin, securing enough of the vote to avoid a runoff. His opponents had heavily attacked him for championing various criminal justice reforms, but the attacks fell flat.
A number of Hollywood democrat elites are joining up with right-wing mega donors, who together are contributing millions of dollars to a recall election against L.A. DA George Gascón.
Bolts magazine spoke to a progressive judge who just lost their primary in Harris County, after relentless attacks by DA Kim Ogg. There’s a lot here to learn about the opportunities and challenges of justice reform through judicial elections.